X-ray film holder and indicator



g g-a April 2, 11957 OSTRANDER 2,787,237

X-RAY FILM HOLDER AND INDICATOR Filed July 11, 1955 20 l8 Lllm u i uh. u mm" 1 INVENTOR. BENJAMIN F. OSTRANDER ATTORNEY In the X-ray field a picture is taken of the patient and, while the patient waits, the film is developed and rapidly inspected to determine whether more pictures should be taken or whether the patient can get dressed and leave. The complete reading of the film is done after the film has been dried so that it can be mounted on a frame especially designed for that purpose.

When X-ray films are freshly developed and are still wet, they must be handled with extreme care and, to that end, each film is mounted on a frame having a handle by which the film may be manipulated. Such nascent films must not be exposed to light and the doctor or the technician must work in a dark room which is usually crowded with developing tanks, and with a large number of plates in various stages of development.

In order to enable a doctor working in the dark to identify the film to be inspected, a code has been developed which consists in applying a paper clip or a clasp to the handle of the film-supporting frame, the position of the clip being depended upon to identify the film. For example, if the clip is applied so as to project vertically from the top of the handle, the doctor feeling with his hands will know that this is the film he is to look at. If there is no clip projecting from the handle, the doctor will know that this film is of no immediate interest. If the clip is at an angle to the handle, the doctor will know that this film is freshly developed and that it is to be compared with a film from the handle of which a clip projects vertically, and so on.

The clips or clasps referred to often fell off or were inislaid and the technician working in the dark and with wet and slippery fingers, could not always find a clip when she needed one.

It is therefore the object of the invention to produce an improved film-supporting frame with a built-in indienter, or an indicator which is not detachable from the frame.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the following specification and from the accompanying drawings from which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a film-supporting frame embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 on Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary elevational views showing different positions of the indicator.

States Patent 2,787,237 l atented Apr. 2, 1957 In the drawings, 10 designates a frame which is pro vided with clips 12 adapted to engage the corners of an X-ray film 14 to support the same during processing or during preliminary reading or examination. The frame 10 is carried by a handle 16 to which, conventionally, a clip, or clasp is detachably applied to identify the film, in the manner above set forth.

To overcome the difiiculties above outlined, I provide a permanently attached indicator in the form of a closed loop, or link, 18 which is best shown in Fig. 2 and one or more walls of which are staked at two spaced points to form inwardly projecting knobs 20. The handle 16, or the closed loop, or link, indicator 18, or both, may be made of spring metal.

The operation is as follows: When the indicator is intended to project vertically from the handle, it is pushed up to the position of Fig. l in which knobs 20 engage the upper edge of the handle. This positively keeps the indicator in its upper position and insures that the indicator will remain in its vertical position until it is positively disturbed. When it is desired to move the indicator to its lower position, it is pushed down until the knobs 20 clear the lower edge of the handle. The top wall of the indicator now rests on the'top wall of the handle as shown in Fig. 3. To indicate that the film in question is to be compared with another film, the indicator is moved to the position of Fig. 4 in which one of the knobs 25) engages the side wall of the handle to maintain the indicator at an angle to the handle.

It will be seen that my indicator is easy to apply; that it cannot be lost, that it is inexpensive to make and apply, and that it can be applied to existing frames as well as to frames of future manufacture.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a handle and a film-supporting frame carried by said handle, of an indicator for identifying the film, said indicator being in the form of a link defining an opening which is longer than the Width of the handle whereby said indicator is movable relative to the handle in the direction of its width, the width of at least a portion of said opening being less than the thickness of said handle measured in a direction at right angles to the direction of the width of said handle, whereby the sides of said link engage the sides of said handle positively to maintain said indicator in a given position relative to said handle.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 in which the link is made of resilient material yieldable to engage the sides of said handle.

3. The structure recited in claim 1 in which at least one side of said link intermediate the center of the link and one end thereof is staked to form an inwardly projecting knob which engages the side walls of the handle to maintain said link in a predetermined position relative to said handle.

No references cited. 

